


Reflection

by FallenInDreams



Category: Naruto
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Angst, Romance, romance but only if you squint, the ambience is just about reflection and Sasuke being drawn to Hinata
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-11
Updated: 2020-06-11
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:22:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24657526
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FallenInDreams/pseuds/FallenInDreams
Summary: He didn't miss home. He didn't miss anyone. But the haunting melody of his regret drew him to her, nonetheless. Post-canon AU. SasuHina. For SasuHina Month 2020 on tumblr.
Relationships: Hyuuga Hinata/Uchiha Sasuke, SasuHina, Uchiha Sasuke/Hyuuga Hinata
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	Reflection

**Author's Note:**

> Hiya.
> 
> This is for SasuHina Month 2020 on tumblr. A really quick drabble kind of one-shot. Enjoy. ^_^
> 
> .:.

He remembered her.

He remembered the way she held herself. The way her eyes were warm when she smiled. The sound of her gentle laughter. The sound of her soft but firm voice. She treated everyone with kindness and respect, making her worthy of her position as reinstated clan heiress.

But most of all, he remembered her grace. The shy girl from their academy days never lost her temper, never lost her composure, and calculated her opponent's demise with the poise of a princess. It was a sight to behold; whether she was boldly standing against a foe or holding her ground with the Hyuuga elders.

Sasuke was entranced. This was the kind of girl his father would have approved of. She was the only female in Konoha that didn't annoy him in some way.

But he could also see the sadness underneath her strength. She was unhappy. The thing missing from her life, that she'd longed for, for so long, was _gone_. It was the love she'd always clung to. The relationship she'd always hoped for. Along with many other things in this world, the aftermath of the last shinobi war had washed it away. But rather than pine and sulk like the weak would do in her place, Hinata Hyuuga rose above the rejection and took control of her future.

Sasuke watched as she became stronger, well loved, and wiser for it. And she did it all on her own: without having to cling to another to succeed. It made him think of his own life. What had he been doing that was worthy of admiration? What had he achieved without the help of another shinobi guiding him along? What did he really want, now that the war was over?

As for him, he was running away from Konoha again, under the guise of a mission - even one _with_ the Hokage's blessing. He was doing the same thing he always did. There was no strength in that.

So here he was, poised on the threshold of the outer limits of Konoha's territory. But still, he couldn't bring himself to step over. Hinata had reasons to keep going. Sasuke didn't.

_Where am I going?_

In the end, he compromised and found his way to a place he knew well. It was hidden and beautiful, familiar and unknown to the residents of the village just on the other side of the mountains.

_That melody, again._

He could hear it again. The acoustics were very good here, and the sound echoed off the massifs. He often came here to think. To reflect on his past and decisions. It was peaceful; the mountains blocked the view of the outside world and gave the impression of being secluded, even as the edge of the Konoha forests were only a few miles away.

It was the perfect place to return to without feeling disturbed or pressured by humans. And for the past month, it had also been the most peacefully euphonious. _She_ was here, playing that instrument again. He followed the music (again) until he could finally sense her chakra, while hiding his own. She was not hiding her presence, but there was no reason to interrupt.

Hinata sat on her haunches, the Shakuhachi in her delicate hands, her eyes watching the gully before her as though the music was flowing through her instead of being created by her.

She played the bamboo flute well; the sound was sad and strong, relaxing and haunting and it reminded him of a tune his mother had played when he was young. If he closed his eyes he could still see it. Just as he watched Hinata's fingers move expertly over the length of the flute, the ghostly memory of Mikoto Uchiha's fingers moved swiftly and with precision.

The sun had started to dip over the horizon but neither ninja paid it much mind. The melody was echoing off the hillside, lazily flowing through the region. Hinata was baring her soul to the elements. To nothing in particular.

Sasuke should have felt like an intruder. But it felt so _right_. After she had finished, he realised he'd stayed too long this time. Cursing himself for getting caught up in her, he turned to leave.

"Sasuke."

Unable to stop himself, he turned to see that she was watching him. Her melody had drawn him in. Her eyes were now coaxing him to stay. So he did. She didn't look surprised to see him. Sasuke moved forward and knelt down onto the grass next to her, tucking his legs under himself and sighed, staring out over the same gully Hinata was admiring. They sat in silence, her fingers twisting in her lap as she cradled the Shakuhachi, his hands flat and perfectly still against his thighs.

"Sasuke?"

Surprised, he looked over at her to find her lavender eyes peering at him curiously. "Hm?"

"Do you ever regret... leaving?"

He stared at her, blinking heavily as she stared back, unabashed. She'd changed so much since the end of the war, Hinata barely sounded like the same person from before. But he wasn't looking at a stranger. With her hands clasped in her lap and legs folded underneath her bum, she looked every inch the clan heiress. The fading sun light, orange and pink, danced about her; creating a halo and making her look ethereal.

He blinked again. "Why are you here?"

"I came here to enjoy the view and the distance from my clan," she said, turning her eyes back to the gully, to the sunset. "And to find out if it was you I'd sensed weeks ago."

It was his weakness. He should have known someone would get suspicious if he kept coming this close to Konoha. But of all people, how had it been the one that made him feel most ashamed of himself?

"Are you ready yet?"

They sat in silence and, again, she didn't seem to mind that he didn't answer her question. In all honesty, Sasuke didn't have an answer to that. He knew he would have to go back eventually, but the guilt and shame and anxiety over what he'd done (and failed to do) drove him away.

Was he ready?

"Soon."

Hinata reached over and took his hand gently, watching the way his eyes widened at her soft touch. The way his pale skin tinged pink at her attention. "Take all the time you need."

**.:.**

**Author's Note:**

> Please kudo/comment. Lotsa love! :)


End file.
